Northern Red-bellied Turtle Pseudemys rubriventris (LeConte, 1830)    Synonyms: Northern Red-bellied Cooter, Red-bellied Cooter, Red-bellied Turtle.
Kingdom Animalia   >   Phylum Chordata   >   Class Reptilia   >   Order Testudines   >   Family Emydidae   >   Genus Pseudemys   

Status:

Northern Red-bellied Turtle (Pseudemys rubriventris) is a large species of aquatic turtle, well known for conspicuous basking behavior. Large individuals can be distinctive compared to the much smaller Eastern Painted Turtle, which is often seen basking at the same time. Northern Red-bellied Turtles are generally fond of rivers, ponds, and lakes, and generally larger, deeper bodies of water, with dense vegetation and sites for basking. This species will tolerate brackish water, and can be found in estuarine environments (Conant & Collins, 1998; Maryland DNR site). This species is distributed across much of the state, but especially on the coastal plain, and ranging west to Allegany Co. (Maryland DNR site).

There are 860 records in the project database.

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A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Caroline Co., Maryland (5/21/2017). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A male Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Charles Co., Maryland (4/9/2017). Photo by William Wise. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Cecil Co., Maryland (9/10/2021). Photo by Mark Johnson. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (8/11/2014). Photo by Karl Krueger. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle found at Hurlock WWTP, Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/6/2007). Photo by Jim Brighton. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (4/11/2014). Photo by Max Wilson. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Caroline Co., Maryland (5/17/2008). (c) Bill Hubick, all rights reserved. Photo by Bill Hubick. (MBP list)

An old male Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Frederick Co., Maryland (4/22/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/11/2011). Photo by Robert Aguilar, SERC. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Caroline Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/12/2016). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (7/11/2011). Photo by Robert Aguilar, SERC. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Prince George's Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Sergei Drovetski, all rights reserved. Photo by Sergei Drovetski. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Prince George's Co., Maryland (3/6/2022). (c) Ron Wertz, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA). Photo by Ron Wertz via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

An old male Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Frederick Co., Maryland (4/22/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtles in Washington Co., Maryland (4/9/2017). Photo by Linda Lewis. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Caroline Co., Maryland (Date obscured). (c) Stephen John Davies, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Stephen John Davies via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Wicomico Co., Maryland (2/21/2022). (c) Arthur Masloski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Arthur Masloski via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Dorchester Co., Maryland (10/27/2013). Photo by Gary Van Velsir. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Dorchester Co., Maryland (6/10/2014). Photo by Wayne Longbottom. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Prince George's Co., Maryland (8/11/2020). (c) Dan Treadwell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by dtread1 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

An old male Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Frederick Co., Maryland (4/22/2013). Photo by Richard Orr. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in St. Mary's Co., Maryland (6/12/2016). Photo by Tyler Bell. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (10/31/2022). (c) dtread1, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by dtread1 via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (5/15/2018). (c) Melissa McCeney, all rights reserved. Photo by Melissa McCeney. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle at Andelot Farm, Kent Co., Maryland (6/7/2014). Photo by Julie Fortin. (MBP list)

A hatchling Northern Red-bellied Turtle at Fort Smallwood, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/9/2013). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

A hatchling Northern Red-bellied Turtle at Fort Smallwood, Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/9/2013). Photo by Nancy Magnusson. (MBP list)

A juvenile Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/1/2024). (c) Cole Tiemann, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Cole Tiemann via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A juvenile Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (4/1/2024). (c) Cole Tiemann, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Cole Tiemann via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

Northern Red-bellied Turtle sunning on a mild December day in Dorchester Co., Maryland (12/12/2015). Photo by Bonnie Ott. (MBP list)

A juvenile Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Anne Arundel Co., Maryland (5/2/2021). (c) Emilio Concari, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Emilio Concari. (MBP list)

A juvenile Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Queen Anne's Co., Maryland (6/15/2016). (c) Aaron Krochmal, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC). Photo by Aaron Krochmal via iNaturalist. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Washington Co., Maryland (5/1/2005). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Washington Co., Maryland (5/1/2005). Photo by Jim Stasz. (MBP list)

A Northern Red-bellied Turtle in Montgomery Co., Maryland (6/12/2020). Photo by Bonnie Bell. (MBP list)

An immature Red-bellied Turtle in Calvert Co., Maryland (5/24/2018). Photo by Karyn Molines. (MBP list)


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